Gezicht op de Oudeschans in Amsterdam met de Montelbaanstoren c. 1887 - 1920

Willem Witsen made this pencil drawing of the Oudeschans in Amsterdam, but exactly when, remains a bit of a mystery. Those gestural marks, all those grey scribbles. I can really imagine him out there trying to capture the essence of the Oudeschans. Scribbling away, trying to get the light just right on the water. You know, it's not just about copying what's there, it's about feeling it. Capturing the atmosphere. I bet he had to work fast, trying to capture that feeling before it changed. Witsen's mark-making makes me think of other artists like James McNeill Whistler, who were also exploring tonalism and capturing fleeting moments in their work. There is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time. But ultimately, it's about expression, embracing that ambiguity. It is not about fixed or definitive readings.